The incredible shrinking car companies

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Japher
I don't need one. I know engineers in the industry who tell me this.

Just because he's an engineer in the industry doesn't mean that he knows how the economics works.

Also, predicting production and JIT is not the whole basis for LEAN manufacturing. Japanesse also use six-sigma skills as well as 5S and a myrdiad of other tools. The union presence is an issue because it deamands that one person has one job whereas in Japanese industries one person can do multiple tasks.

Well their using it. I don't think it's going to work anyway without the throughput. I don't think they're trying to make it work though. The union probably has a lot to do with it.

[Japher]

Just because he's an engineer in the industry doesn't mean that he knows how the economics works.

bull****

[Kidlicious]

I'm just interested in reading an article.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Mitsubishi is on the virge of going out of business so it isn't likely to help anyone.

That's awful. When I was buying my last car 5 years ago, I was looking hard at their Eclipse Spyder. It was very impressive. It had six cylinders but cost about as much and got the same gas milage as all the four cylindars I was looking at.

If I were looking to buy, I'd certainly check out their cars.

[Asher]

Once American car companies learn how to design decent cars, get rid of the union baggage, they may just survive.

[Dinner]

They do know how to design decent cars and they sell millions of them every year.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Japher
Japanesse also use six-sigma skills as well as 5S and a myrdiad of other tools.

6 Sigma and 5S are just QA stuff. 6 Sigma is a goal and 5S is a methodology. QA helps with cutting costs, but not with engineering stuff.

Oh, and you forgot continual improvement